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Pattern-2 Energy Rifle
The Pattern-2 Energy Rifle is a directed energy weapon that is considered ubiquitous in the Overlander military. Designed in 2890, this weapon, though rather old in comparison to some of the other projectors used by the AFO, it has nevertheless proved its reliability over the four hundred years of its existence. Technically, the modern version is referred to as the Pattern-2 Mod 3, where 'Mod' designates a serious modification to the base weapon while still retaining the outward appearance. The original projector was designed by Doctor Sebastian Haas, an Overlander scientist who had no previous experience designing firearms. Using the materials he had available, Haas created the Pattern-2 piggybacking off of the Pattern-1's research foundations. The design he had created would be standardized by the AFO in the coming years. The rifle itself appears similar to a projectile firing weapon, though it was linked to a backpack battery that provided it with an ample energy source to fuel the gun. Though not the only front line weapon used by Overlanders, the Pattern-2 would become one of the most well known. Though invented before the 30th Century, it would become most famous for its use in the Great War between 3220 and 3224. Entire units could be fitted with the gun as the backpack would eliminate the need to carry multiple magazines or batteries of ammunition. The price of this was a hefty forty pound weight that each soldier needed to carry in addition to their supplies. This was offset by the gun itself being exceptionally light with the only major component being the firing mechanism and reflecting mirror array inside the case. Description The Pattern-2 is a deceptively simple weapon when viewed alongside its companion backpack. The gun itself boasts only for major buttons or switches. The first being the trigger itself, the second being the safety, the third the release switch for the power hose, and the last being the takedown switch placed halfway towards the barrel intended for disassembly. This simplification of the design made the gun easy to use for just about any soldier regardless of combat experience. In addition to its simplicity, the weapon has virtually no recoil as it is a directed energy device. The user simply needs to point and shoot. In addition, the gun is also pinpoint accurate, meaning that if the soldier sights the weapon correctly, they can score a kill with every trigger pull. However, the feather weight of the weapon may work against it as something as simple as a trigger pull may cause the user to pull the weapon away from their intended target as the force of simply moving a finger segment may be enough to disrupt aim. As a result, strict drilling is required to force the user to brace well before firing a shot. The sound the weapon makes upon firing can be likened to that of a crack as air around the barrel is superheated and shunted out of the way by the reflected laser light. This can be mistaken for a gunshot at a distance by soldiers but is quite distinct. The Pattern-2, being an energy weapon, also has the benefit of having an instantaneous effect on its target. The beam of light emitted from the gun travels virtually instantaneously from the barrel to the target. Some shooters can take advantage of the duration of the shot by sweeping the barrel causing the beam to actually instantly follow the new path presented to it. However, this may cause unintended collateral damage and is advised against. The gun itself draws power from the battery mounted on the soldier's back. The way the Pattern-2 works can be best described like a garden hose with a lever seal on it. Power is always seeking to go through the path of least resistance, which is the firing chamber of the weapon. However, the sear of the mechanism prevents this from occurring, sealing off the energy reserve and thus preventing overload. When the trigger is depressed, the sear releases, allowing a burst of energy to enter the firing chamber where it is immediately bounced around by amplification lenses where it is shot out through a focusing crystal and out a narrow bore barrel. The actual diameter of the beam is less than an inch across, but the focused energy makes it highly energetic and thus dangerous. When the firing occurs, heat levels rise rapidly. When temperatures become too high, the gun's systems immediately vents excess heat, automatically closing the sear when the venting occurs, which makes the trigger assembly rest. To re-engage the sear, the user must allow the trigger to return to rest before pulling it again, resetting the process. This makes the Pattern-2 a semi-automatic weapon though it theoretically has the ability to fire on full automatic. The weapon has a raised sight assembly that doubles as a carrying handle that the user can grip when not in use. The front sight is a fold down variety which can allow the user to attach sights to the gun by an integrated Weaver rail. In addition, the gun has an integrated angled foregrip that can also be used as a rest for the user. While prone, it can allow the user to utilize it as an improvised monopod. Modifications to the Pattern-2 were made in the closing days of the war allowed it to be free of the backpack power supply and instead fed by batteries that functioned like magazines. This made the weapon easier to handle, but necessitated the carrying of spare ammunition supplies. However, the war ended before major field use was seen. Several of these weapons were left behind on Mobius after the exodus of the Overlanders in 3225. The weapon technically had no maximum range, only as far as the beam would travel before dissipating in the atmosphere. This meant that any Pattern-2 could become a designated marksman rifle or sniper rifle if the correct scoping was used. It should be noted that thanks to a quirk of the Pattern-2's energy transfer, a hit did not always guarantee a kill. Because of the laser's heat energy transfer, a beam needed to be held on a target for a time before enough energy was imparted to vaporize the target area or cause burns. This meant that a soldier moving fast enough could survive being hit with little to no effect provided that they moved fast enough before the target area temperature rose enough to cause fatal damage, or is wearing armor that could reflect the beam, or was thick enough to take damage before failing. As such, once this fact was discovered, RAF military instructors emphasized the need to keep moving when facing these weapons. Trivia * The Pattern-2 operates very similarly to a Lasgun from the Warhammer 40K series of tabletop games and novels. Indeed, some variants of the Lasgun, such as the Hellgun, are also fed by a backpack power source. * The Pattern-2's name is considered a misnomer as a 'rifle'. No actual rifling is seen in the weapon itself. A more correct term would be 'Projector'. List of Appearances * None Category:Weapon Category:Energy Weapon